Surgical appliance



Jan. 4, 1938. v R. ODELL 2,104,699

SURGICAL APPLIANCE Filed Aug. 3, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 1 run-"nu"? F g a ii QQ. N I: E E

in *4 g Q Invent Leonardif. 0308 ll L. R. O'DELL SURGICAL APPLIANCE Jan. 4, 1938.

Filed Aug. 3, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnuemar Lennard 2f; OlDelL Jan. 4, 1938. L. R. ODELL SURGICAL APPLIANCE Filed Aug. 3, 1936 5 Shets-Sheet 5 1710671132} Lemza'rdJfiOZJell .53 r ""17:

Patented Jan. 4, 1938 o m-1o STATES PATENT 1,

SURGICAL APPLIANGE Leonard R. ODell, ndamsbenter, 'N. Y., assignor to N. Avery Jenkins, Adams (renter, N. Y. Application August 8, 1936, Serial No. 93,951 4 (Cl. 12 8"7 8 This invention relates to surgical appliances, and the object of the invention is to provide an appliance of novel and advantageous construction which is well adapted for use in the treat- .ment of disorders of the spine and of other bony and muscular parts and associated nerves of the human body. which are located in the region of or are affected by the condition of the spine.

Among the many such disorders which may be 1p. treated by the use of the appliance are fractured vertebrae, dislocated vertebrae, spinal curvature, tuberculosis of the vertebrae and associated parts, fracture of the sternum and fracture of the pelvis.

1-5: The invention resides in the novel construction,

' combination and arrangement of the several elements of the appliance, as will be hereinafter described and claimed. 7 g

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the 20 invention, I

Figure 1 is an outside view of the improved appliance in an open or flattened condition.

Figure 2 is an inside view thereof in the same condition.

Figure 3 is a front view of the appliance, showing the relation of the parts'thereof after the ends of the body belt and the .ends'of the pressure belt have been brought together and connected to close the appliance.

, Figure 4 is a section through the appliance, on

line 4--4of Fig. l. L

Figure 5 is a front view of the connected resilient metal members of the appliance.

, Figure 6 is a side view of the members shown ;inFig.5.

Figure 7 is a detail, enlarged, showing a part of the horizontal resilient member and the lower end portion of one of the vertical resilient members before the application thereto of the rivet which secures them together.

Figure 8 is an outside view, enlarged, of a portion of the appliance, showing certain parts thereof in section and showing certain parts thereof broken away to expose other parts.

5- Figure 9 is a sectionon line 9=-9 of Fig. 8,

showing details of construction.

Figure 10 is a section on line Illof Fig. 8, showing details of construction.

Figure 11 is a section on line il-H of Fig. 8,

showing details of construction. 7

Figure 12 is a section on line l2-|2 of Fig. 8, showing details of construction.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates a body belt which constitutes the foundation of the appliance and which, as generally stated comprises a centrally disposed back portion 3 whose .re-'

of the'ends of the back portion .3 and .thefree ends of the front portions constitute the free ends of the belt. I

Thefree end of the front portion 5 of the belt is provided with short tabs I carrying hooks 8 which are adapted'to receive the loops ll of g.

buckles or fastening devices l3 adju'stably, carried by straps M which are connected to and extend from the free end of the front portion 5 of the body belt. The hooks 8 and loops ,ll thus pro vide a suitable means for detachably connecting m.

the ends of the body belt after it has been placed around the body of the patient or user .of the appliance. A suitable flap i5 is provided to ex tend from the free end of the front portion 5 of, the belt and lie between the body of the patient 3 and the hooks 8 and loops II to protect the patientfs body therefrom. I a

The-parts 3, 5 and 6 of the bodybelt 2 are formed of cloth or othersuitable flexible material,

and they are provided with freely fleiribleand'i'e-L silient stiffening stays I6, I! and I8, respactively; The lower portions of the parts 5 and 6 have gussets l9 and 20 of freely stretchable elastic fabric inserted therein, respectively to provide ease and comfortin wearing the appliance.-

The bottom of the back portion 3 of the belt 2 is made straight, and the central portion there-- of is provided with an upwardly. projecting eastension 2|, and the front portions 5 and 6 there of are inclined upwardly from the ends of the back portions 3, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and '2. Q The body belt 2 is constructed to be placed around the body of the patient or user of the ap pliance with the inside thereof, as shown infFig. 2, facing the patients body,-with the ends of the bottom of the back portion 3'in the region of or I resting upon the patients hips, and with the front portions 5 and 6 forwardly of the patients ab/'- domen. When the belt 3 has been soplaced, the hooks 8 are engaged with the loops H to connect the ends of the belt and hold it in firm surrounding engagement with the pati'ents body. when the belt '2 is thus applied to the patient's body lihe central part of the back portion 3, with the 111*- wardly extending extension 2| thereof, occupy a 46,

position directly back of the patients spinal column and extend vertically over a large area thereof.

The back portion ,3. of the body belt 2 carries a horizontally extending, resilient, sheet metal member 22 .and two vertically-extending, re= silient, sheet metal members 23, 23. "I'hese' members are shown detached froni the bony belt in Fig. 5. The vertical'mernbers 23, 23 are an:

ranged in lateral, spaced relationandthe lower 55' ends thereof are rigidly connected to the liofi= zontal member 22 on the respective sides of :the center thereof by means of rivets 124 having shanks which are oblong in cross section and which extend through corr sponding sleaze,

on one endiportion thereof adapted to be ad-" Fig. 7, in the members. This connecting means holds the vertical members 23, 23 firmly in parallel relation at right angles to the horizontal member 22, at all times, by preventing the vertical members from workin'g'loose and turning on the shanks of the "rivets when the appliance'is in service. I r

The relation of the members 22 and 23, 23 to the back portion 3 of the belt is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and by dotted lines and full lines in Fig. 8. The horizontal'member 22 extends along the back portion 3 near its bottom, substantially the full length thereof, and 'the vertical members 23, 23 extend substantially throughout the vertical dimensions of the back portion 3 'on therespective sides of the vertical center thereof.

I'I'he-free end portions of the horizontal member'22 arelseated in pockets formed by strips of leather'26 which are folded'around the ends of the-member and secured to the belt 2 by suitable stitching 21; and the free upper ends of the vertical members 23, 23 are seated in pockets formed by 'stri-ps of leather 28 which are folded around the ends of the members and secured to the belt 2' by siiitablestitching 29.

The entire horizontal member 22 and the lower end portions of the vertical members 23, 23 are confine'd'within a hem 30 which is formed on the bottom ot the back portion 3 of the belt 2;

arfditheparts of the vertical members 23', 23, between the hem 30 and the leather strips 28, are confined within enclosures which are formed by the main body-"of the belt 2 and strips'of cloth or 'tape 31 which have their lateral edges secured to the body or the belt .b suitable V stitching 32 outwardly of the lateral-edges of the members, aslearly shown in Fig; "8.

It* will 'now be understood that theresilient metal members 22 and 23, 23 will be retained at all times substantially in the positions shown in" thedrawings-with'relation to the parts of the belt 2;while suflicient relative movement between the members and the body of the beltmay take place'to permit "then'ecessary longitudinal and transverse .fiexing'of the belt without any buckling or, the parts, when the appliance is in service -It'will also be understood that the pockets formed b'y'the leather strips 26 and 28 provide strong and durable anchors for the free ends of the metal members and prevent them from weari'ng orc'uttin'g' their way through the adjacent f ural' wear attendant upon its use.

---The' hem'30 not only provides an enclosure for the metal rnember '22,'but it also strengthens or reinforces the bottom part of the back portion 3 oflthebelt-Z. This'reinforced bottom part of thili'a'ck portion 3 is provided with strong side straps-33 and 34 which extend fromthe respective'*end's-of thexhem 30 and form, in efiect, continuations of the hem and the metal member 22 enclosed" therein; The attached ends of the straps 33 and 34' extend into andv are enclosed by the end portions: of the hem'30 and they are secured to1the body of .the belt and to the hem by: s'titching' 35, as shown in Fig. 8. The 'side strap-33 is provided 'witha suitable buckle 36 1 which isladapted to be adjustably engaged by the strap 34, as shown in Fig; 3, todetachably connectthestraps when the appliance is in use. 'I?he appliance'is provided with a strong, straplikerpressure belt .31. having a suitable buckle 38 justably engaged by the other end portion of the belt, as shown in Fig. 3, to detachably connect the end portions of the pressure belt at the front of the appliance, W g

vThe pressure belt 3|j is niuoh pariio'yver than the .body belt' 2 and it is 'arranged'p'n'th'outside thereof and crosses the vertical metal members 23, 23 in spaced relation to the ends thereof, and in spaced relation to the upper and lower edges of the body belt. To maintain such relationship at the back of the appliance, I provide vertically extending stripsof cloth or tape 39 on the respectiveside's of thermembers 22, 22 and secure such strips to the body belt 2 by stitching 40 at the upper and lower ends thereof, and by stitching 4| at the central portions thereof,'thus providing openingsbetween the strips 39 and the body belt 2 bothabove and below the central stitching 4| through either of. which the belt 31 may be lacedor extended to beheld inzplace by the strips39. In the drawings 1 have shown the belt 31, extended through openings provided by the stripsbelow. the central stitching 4|, and it will be understood that the belt may be extended through the openings provided above the central stitching 4| when and if it shouldbe de-- sirable to raise the back of the pressure belt with relation to the back of the body belt and the vertical metal members 23, 23 confined within parts thereof.- V

- To protect the patient or user ofthe appliance from the hard'pressure .of.v the metal members 22 and 23, 23, I provide.suitable relatively soft cushioning pads 42 and- 43. ,glIhepad 42 is located inwardly of the member 22 and extends through out the full lengthtthereof and'issecuredto the inside of: the body belt 2. '.The1 pad 43 isllocated inwardly of the members 23,123 and'crossesthe space between them and is provided .withinwardly projecting," enlargedzend portions or'protuberances.:44, 4,4 which are located inwardly of theupper and lower-:end: portions of the members23, 23." I

The members 22 and 23, 23.are.made of suitable sheet metal; such for example as phosphorbronze, which is sufliciently resilient to return to its normal .or:set condition after it has been flexed andreleased during the use. of the-applieance, and which iSJbendabI'e beyond. its elastic limit to change the norm-a1 shape or configuration thereof withoutdestroying its resilient character, for purposes presently appearing.

When the appliance is in service, the body belt 2' is placed around the bodyiiof the patient or user, as previously explainedJThis places the end portions otthe hem30.?and,the end portions of the horizontal metal member-22 therein di-' rectly over the hips of patient. The hooks 8 are connected to the loops |-|1of the, fastening devices I3 at the front of the belt, and the devices l3 are properly adjusted to retain the body of the belt around the body of the patient with suitable tightness for comfortand the proper functioning of the parts of 'the'appliancef I After the application of the main body of the belt, 2 to the patient, as just describedftheside strap 3'4'is engaged' with the buckle 36,01 the side strap. 33, and .the",'side' straps are'tigh'tened at the front of the gappli'ance in a mannerito' flex the horizontal metal member 22 around the back and sides of the-patient and holdit firmly in place." This firm holding 'inplace of the member 22 causes it to support '-arid-retain the vertical metal members 23, 23 i'ri'-"thei 1"-'-pr'oper SDI position 'direc'tlyback of? the patient's spin'al column on the respective sides of the vertical center thereof.

Following the application of the body belt 2 to the patient and the tightening of the side straps 33 and 34, the ends of the pressure belt 31 are connected by means of the buckle 38 at the front of the appliance and tightened sufficiently to produce the desired inward pressure against the resilient, vertical members 23, 23 between and spaced from the upper and lower ends thereof for the proper functioning of the members.

The vertical members 23, 23 may be bent into any desired shape or configuration suitable for producing pressure or pressures in the region or regions of the spine where pressure is desired for the correction of the dislocated vertebrae or the proper support of fractured vertebrae or for the treatment of any other disorder. The members 23, 23 may be shaped to properly support the spinal column as a whole, while the members and the other parts of the appliance give proper support to adjacent other parts of the patients body for the treatment of disorders thereof.

The vertical members 23, 23 maybe bowed more or less as shown in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings, and, when so bowed the end portions of the members and the enlarged end portions 44, 44 of the pad 43, inwardly thereof, are not only pressed inwardly but they are also forced apart when the pressure belt 31 is tightened, thereby causing a spreading or separation of the vertebrae when such treatment is desired.

The vertical members 23, 23 may be bent to produce pressure and to preserve the same configuration or symmetry thereof when it is desired to localize pressure on each side of a part of the spinal column, or they may be independently bent into different forms to produce pressure at but one side of the spinal column or on opposite sides thereof at different levels, in accordance with the desired treatment.

The pad 43, crossing the space between the members 23, 23 serves to produce pressure against the vertebrae between the members, in accordance with the configuration of the members. Thus it will be seen that many different pressures may be produced at various places on the patients body for the correction and treatment of various disorders.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a surgical appliance, the combination of a wide body belt comprising a centrally disposed back portion and two front portions joined to the respective ends of the back portion and form! ing continuations thereof, a horizontal member formed of resilient metal and extending along the lower part of the back portion of the belt, said back portion having a bottom hem enclosing said member, two straps connected to the respective ends of said hem and forming continuations of said hem and said member, means for detachably connecting the free ends of said straps, means for detachably connecting the free ends of the front portions of said belt above said straps, a vertical member formed of resilient metal and connected to and extending upwardly from the central portion of said horizontal member, and means connecting said vertical member to the back portion of the belt above said hem. I

2. In a surgical appliance, the combination of a wide body belt comprising a centrally disposed back portion and two front portions joined to the respective ends of the back portion and forming continuations thereof, a horizontal member formed of resilient metal and extending along the lower part of the back portion of the belt, said back portion having a bottom hem enclosing said member, two straps connected to the respective ends'of said hem and forming continuations of said hem and said member, means for detachably connecting the free ends of said straps, means for detachably connecting the free ends of the front portions of said belt above said straps, a vertical member formed of resilient metal and connected to and extending upwardly from the central portion of said horizontal member, means connecting said vertical member to the back portion of the belt above said hem, a pressure belt outwardly of said vertical member and the body belt and narrower than the latter and provided with front end portions having means for detachably connecting them, and means to retain the pressure belt in spaced relation to the ends of the vertical member.

3. In a surgical appliance, the combination of a wide body belt comprising a centrally disposed back portion and two front portions joined to the respective ends of the back portion and forming continuations thereof, a horizontal member formed of resilient metal and extending along the lower part of the back portion of the belt, said back portion having a bottom hem enclosing said member, two straps connected to the respective ends of said hem and forming continuations of said hem and said member, means for detachably connecting the free ends of said straps, means for detachably connecting the free ends of the front portions of said belt above said straps, two vertical members formed the respective ends of the back portion andv forming continuations thereof, a horizontal member formed of resilient metal and extending along the lower part of the back portion of the belt, saidback portion having a bottom hem enclosing said member, two straps connected to the respective ends of said hem and forming continuations of said hem and said member,

'means for detachably connecting the free ends of said straps, means for detachably connecting the free ends of the front portions of said belt above said straps, two vertical members formed of resilient metalnnd connected to, and extending upwardly from the central portion of said horizontal member, means connecting said vertical members to the back portion of the belt above said hem, the last named means maintaining the vertical members in lateral spaced relation, a pressure belt outwardly of said vertical members and the body belt and narrower than the latter and provided with front portions having means for detachably connecting them, and means to retain the pressure belt in spaced relation to the ends of the vertical members.

LEONARD R. ODELL. 

